


The One

by fromthewildwood



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-07
Packaged: 2018-01-14 21:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1280005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthewildwood/pseuds/fromthewildwood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The One Ring is treacherous, and many times in the book Tolkien threatens its escape. A look at the people who could have found it, and what they would have done with the power to control the world. A series of one-shots, somewhat AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tea_for_lupin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_for_lupin/gifts).



There is little left but the One after the swarm of crebain have done their work, ripping and tearing until bone splinters and scraps are all that remain. But it is not the master of Orthanc to whom the carrion deliver their glittering prize, but another who they know better and have loved longer.

And after it falls into his hands, the world begins to change.

Slowly, at first, the beasts and birds and branches change and become twisted and bitter as their Master, as love and regard turn to fear and servitude. 'Simple', he was once called, and 'fool'. Yet Curunir had not lost all his wisdom in the saying, for 'Bird-tamer' he was also called and that had proved to be true indeed.

And it is soon enough that he discovers that Man is just another breed of animal, and tames and trains him just as he has done to all those mindless beasts he used to take counsel with as if they had the wits to know anything of the business of the Wise.

The Elves fall next; just a nobler and better bred cousin of Men, he thinks to himself, only as alike to them as wolves are to dogs. Then it is that the others fall under his power; Huorns and Ents first, but then his power spreads down and through, cracking bedrock like treeroots and the old and foul things in the deep places of the earth fall under his Will as well (even the Balrog, flames now quenched; for though he feels a certain kinship with strangling snakes, there is no affection in him for fire or the iron and steel it breeds).

And then all is under his control, bird and beast and tree; for what is the world but a collection of hues and shapes, and he was already the master of both.

Looking upon his work he smiles at the savage beauty of the garden he has made, beast hunting beast just as their nature dictates, no longer the pretentions of mercy and humanity that they adopted.

The rule of tooth and claw rules in this world of his, and he looks upon it and Radagast sees that it is good.


End file.
